Field craft for the rainforest

Trail movement

Quiet walking and regular pauses

Danum Valley protects 438 square kilometres of unlogged lowland rainforest where the dense canopy intercepts most sunlight. Bornean gibbons call every dawn and orangutans are seen on most stays if you adapt to the dark understorey. The difference between a quiet walk and a day of sightings comes down to mastering these practical field habits . If you want to see more

wildlife in Sabah you need to slow down. Animals hear you long before you see them. The most successful approach is to take a few quiet steps and stop to wait. When you stop moving your own noise ceases and the forest soundscape returns. You start to notice the small movements in the leaves and the distant calls . A slow pace also prevents you from overheating in the high humidity. Walking in a group multiplies the collective noise.